Marie H.

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Marie H. 21 years, 11 months ago

Hi, Rita, Thank you so much for your good wishes! Well, I began to write last night, but my pain meds kicked in and I really needed to rest. So, I'm actually 12 days post op now. Everything was just fine the morning of my surgery. Thankfully, no complications. I awoke in ICU and had my very own private nurse. It was wonderful! She pampered me and was the sweetest nurse I could ask for. I don't remember much from that very first day except being really sore and unable to move. I had a drainage tube and a catheter attached to me. It was a very odd feeling. I was also attached to a morphine pump, which I controlled myself, but it would only give me pain meds every 10 minutes. So, I conditioned myself to doze for only 10 minutes then wake up and push the pump. In the beginning, I thought the pump was broken so I was going a little nuts trying to push the pump to realease that much needed morphine! The next day was a little better. Late that day I was wheeled into my own room. Well, not really my OWN room. I had to share a room with a lovely woman, but her family was loud and obnoxious. They all peeked over the curtain to my side asking all sorts of questions and then giving me all types of advice. Believe me, it was a terrible time. I even rang for the nurse to bring me some pain meds and ear plugs. They still did NOT get the message! However, all in all, the hospital stay was just fine. It was VERY painful for me to get in and out of bed, but I was determined not to use the bed pan! Also, it was impossible for me to wipe myself and so humiliating to call the nurse or my husband to do it. I did call them and I finally got over what little shame I had. My diet consisted of broth, yogurt and jello. One day I even got a bowl of gravy! Yuck! (Secretly though, it tasted heavenly!I was so happy to get something heartier and heavier than the top three bland items.) I broke out into fever several times a day and was soaked for long periods. I thought it was from the fevers, but my roomie said the heat in the room was on high. Wow! It sure was! I have to say, though, the most painful part of my hospital stay was when the doctor removed the drainage tube from my upper belly. I gasped, wailed then cried and cried. My nurse, David, even came running in to check on me. I was fine after ten minutes, though. Not much more to comment on my hospital stay except that everything, overall, was just fine. My husband bathed me on my third day and then I was released. It was late Sunday afternoon and I was relieved to go home. I did have trouble, though, getting into our car, but somehow managed. I stayed on the sofa all day and night for two days. I lived on jello and yogurt. It was absolutely horrible trying to get off the sofa or trying to sit on the toilet. I began cursing myself and thinking, "What the hell did I do to myself?" I kept getting fevers and terrible pains in my belly. By Tuesday I was certainly panicked and called my doctor to make an appointment for the next morning. I was in the doctor's room no more than ten minutes when he readmitted me into the hospital. (Let me back up, though. I stepped on the scale and it said I lost 15 POUNDS in FIVE DAYS!!! I may have felt just a tad bit better!) He said that I should not be having such tremendous pain nor fevers for that matter. He told my husband to take me to the Emergency Room and his partner will do blood tests and a CT Scan on me. Well, this was the start of another terrible experience! Well, I had to stand and wait for over an hour as it was too painful to sit and wait. Finally, at 9:30am, I was put on a stretcher and kept in the HALLWAY! Strangers were walking past me and staring. I was kept right across from the ice/water/fridge and it was a VERY busy hallway. I was cold and had to use my trenchcoat for warmth. I was hungry and thirsty and no one would give me anything until a doctor marked my chart. I did not see a doctor for anther HOUR! Even then, she was a student and not a real doctor! She botched up my IV and an experienced nurse reprimanded her right in front of me! I felt so sorry for her. Well, I continued to lie on the stretcher in the hallway for quite awhile. Finally, I was given some terrible pink stuff to drink for the CT Scan. The doctor said I need to drink 90cc's of it within an hour so that the CT Scan will work. I nearly dropped. I began to drink 10cc's every 20 minutes and it was making me ill. There was no way I could drink all of it within an hour. Eventually, I was wheeled into the CT Scan room and told the nurse that I can't finish the liquid. She said, "Of course you can't. Your new pouch won't let you." I was horrified! How could the doctor do that to me! I was so ill and uncomfortable. I was so scared that my staples would pop out and then that doctor was going to have to deal with me! Yeah, tough talk from a gal scared out of her wits! Well, the CT Scan was a success and my surgeon said everything looked beautiful, but I have a bruised muscle, NOT a hernia, where they stapled and it will heal in time. I was relieved! Not only because it wasn't a hernia, but because my insides looked 'beautiful' - no leaks, etc. What a relief! So, I was released the next day and, again, stayed on the couch for most of the day. Since then, I've been up and about and am feeling much better. I hate eating jello and yogurt and thought I would sneak in a bite of broiled chicken. Wrong! I guess I'm not ready for that. I threw it up and felt horrible for a while. Speaking of which, I NEVER threw up nor felt nauseous during this entire time except for the time I took a bite of chicken. Today, I am able to sit at the computer for longer than 10 minutes and I even planted a lovely annual flower basket yesterday. I even did some laundry! However, I need to listen to my body and lie down when it's too tired. Believe me, you will suffer if you overdo it and I speak from experience! This morning I feel great and will be doing a little shopping. I know I've lost more weight, but I don't own a scale, nor do I intend to purchase one. I'm sure once I shower and get dressed I'll be better able to tell if I lost anymore weight. I must add that my family is really amazed at what I can eat. I think they thought I was pulling their legs when I took a couple bits of yogurt and said I was full. But it's really true. I've also caught myself going over to the fridge during commercials. Of course, I'm not hungry, just bored. So, I will be facing those little demons as they begin to come around. Half of my winning the battle is just knowing that I have issues I'll need to confront as to why I use food for comfort. I'm ready, though, for the confrontation.

Rita P. 21 years, 11 months ago

Marie: I hope you are feeling much better. Congratulations on your surgery. May God continue to watch over you and keep you from harm. Ill be praying for you.....God Bless, sincerely Rita Parris

Marie H. 21 years, 11 months ago

Well, I am now 11 days Post-Op. I will be brutally honest here because it is important to know what to expect. Although, keep in mind that everyone has a different experience.